Episode 428: Kris Gethin: Biohacking Myths, Stem Cell Therapy + The Truth About Cardio

Have you ever wondered how some athletes manage to excel in both endurance sports and bodybuilding? In this Habits and Hustle Fitness Friday episode, I talk with Kris Gethin as he shares his unique background and expertise in combining ultra-marathons, iron marathons, and bodybuilding. We discuss the common myth that cardio breaks down muscle and give tips on how to prevent catabolism. We dive into the steps to achieving a lean, muscular, and strong physique naturally and talk about which biohacking modalities are underrated and overrated. Kris Gethin, a renowned transformation expert and entrepreneur, has revolutionized the fitness industry with his no-nonsense, results-driven approach to bodybuilding and coaching. As the founder of Unmatched Supps and former CEO of Kaged Muscle, he has established himself as a pioneering force in the supplement industry while developing the innovative DTP (Dramatic Transformation Principle) training method. Through his podcast, he shares evidence-based fitness insights with a global audience, drawing from his extensive experience coaching elite athletes and celebrities. What we discuss: Khris Gethin's unique background in combining endurance sports The myth that cardio breaks down muscle Steps to being lean, muscular, and strong naturally The most overrated biohacking modality: The most underrated biohacking modality Thank you to our sponsor: Therasage: Head over to therasage.com http://therasage.com/ and use code Be Bold for 15% off TruNiagen: Head over to truniagen.com http://truniagen.com/ and use code HUSTLE20 to get $20 off any purchase over $100. Magic Mind: Head over to www http://www/.magicmind.com http://magicmind.com//jen and use code Jen at checkout. Air Doctor: Go to airdoctorpro.com http://airdoctorpro.com/ and use promo code HUSTLE for up to $300 off and a 3-year warranty on air purifiers. Bio.me: Link to daily prebiotic fiber here https://bio.me/?utm_source=Jennifer, code Jennifer20 for 20% off. Momentous: Shop this link https://www.livemomentous.com/?srsltid=AfmBOorDUIZz3psr1Qsq_n1yE8_6JTq_QUFabOO9lH65HDEXCIoJOPLj and use code Jen for 20% off To learn more about Kris Gethin: Website: https://www.krisgethin.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/krisgethin/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/krisgethin Find more from Jen: Website: https://www.jennifercohen.com/ Instagram: @therealjencohen Books: https://www.jennifercohen.com/books Speaking: https://www.jennifercohen.com/speaking-engagements

Speaker names marked ? are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.

• 0:01Speaker 00

  Hi guys, this is Tony Robbins. You're listening to Habits and Hustle. Crush it.

• 0:07Jen Cohen?

  Hey friends, you're listening to Fitness Friday on the Habits and Hustle Podcast, where myself and my friends share quick and very actionable advice for you becoming your healthiest self. So stay tuned and let me know how you leveled up.

• 0:30Jen Cohen?

  Before we dive into today's episode, I want to thank our sponsor Momentous. When your goal is health span, living better and longer, there are very few non-negotiables. One of them, quality. And when it comes to supplements designed for high performers, nobody does it better than Momentous. Momentus goes all in on NSF certification, which means every single batch is tested for heavy metals, harmful additives, and label accuracy. And that's why they're trusted by all 32 NFL teams and top collegiate sports dietitians across the country. Here's the thing, they don't sell every supplement under the sun,

• 1:12Jen Cohen?

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• 1:55Jen Cohen?

  Okay, guys, we have today, we have Chris Getthardt, who I've met, actually met many times in the last five years. We've passed, we've path crossed, our paths have crossed without really knowing it. So this is actually, I think, the real, the first or second time. I think at Darshaun's, we actually met more formally. But, you know, this is our second formally, you know, in meeting each other. So thank you for being on the podcast.

• 2:21Speaker 02

  It's my pleasure. Thank you very much for having me on.

• 2:23Jen Cohen?

  Oh, absolutely. So, you know, what's interesting about you is that you do like a whole plethora of different fitness modalities. You know, you do the ultra marathons, you do the iron marathons, you do the bodybuilding, which is so interesting because typically you meet people who are in the fitness business, or who are either, or they either do the endurance, or they do the bodybuilding. You're like this hybrid that's very unique.

• 2:50Speaker 02

  Yeah, it is, it is different. There's not many of us out there. There are a few other people that do it. You know, if you look at CrossFitters, a lot of those guys, you know, they're jacked, but they're extremely fit. So I'd say, you know, there's definitely more prevalent there. But I come from a background of like, extreme sports. I raced motocross, downhill mountain biking. So a lot of endurance was associated with that. And I, I love doing cardio. I just love it, always have. So then when I got into bodybuilding, because I had to retire from these sports, because I was just getting so, so many injuries, you know, I, I still wanted to keep up the fitness. So that's why I kind of thought I'd challenge myself, because people will tell me that you can't do something. And I'm like, well,

• 3:31Speaker 02

  sign me up then. And I just want to open the doors for other people to see that these things can be done. Because a lot of people will come up to me and say, hey, I gave up running to get into bodybuilding, or vice versa. And, you know, I've written books on this. I've done a video series on this to show people the way that they can do it, and enjoy both. You know, the most important muscle at the end of the day is our heart. So I think it's rude not to work it.

• 3:55Jen Cohen?

  Yeah, right. You know, it's funny that you're saying this because, you know, I think one of the biggest myths out there is that too much cardio, or maybe it's not a myth, you tell me, I think you're living proof of it, that if you do too much cardio, it breaks down all your muscle. And so, you know, that's why you see a lot of runners who are kind of like skinny, fat, flabby. But you're kind of like the antithesis of that, right? You're like super muscular and that yet you're doing like hundred mile runs. So is, I should, I'm gonna bring it back to you. Is it, in your opinion, a myth that cardio does break down too much muscle?

• 4:35Speaker 02

  Well, it's a yes or no answer to that because it all depends what you're putting in your body to prevent catabolism. So if I go out, for instance, on a hundred mile bike ride with a couple of my friends that are really, really good triathletes, pro triathletes, they're not eating a third of what I'm eating when we're out on the bike because I'm trying to support my muscle growth, or muscle maintenance, I should say, and I require, but the more muscle that you have, the more calories is required to ensure that you don't, you know, hit a wall. So it's like a rolling buffet when I'm riding compared to them having a couple of gels or a little bar. So, you know, and ensuring that you are getting plenty of essential amino acids, you know, again, that can be anti-catabolic, easily to assimilate,

• 5:19Speaker 02

  to ensure that you do strafe off the catabolism. So it all comes down to the modalities of what you have to support that cardio. Of course, you do have to go long and slow when you're doing endurance, but a lot of the training that I do is a lot of shorter intense bursts. When I say shorter intense, maybe forty five minutes of some hill sprints as opposed to spending two to three hours on a run. But, you know, I do understand if you're doing things like an Ironman, you have to have time in the saddle when you're on the bike, for instance, and, you know, when you're swimming. So I would always preserve that for one day a week, maybe a Sunday, to go out for the long and slow aspects.

• 6:01Jen Cohen?

  So does that, are you saying that if the reason why people's, people break down muscle when they're doing too much cardio is because they're not, they're not looking at their nutrition, they're not eating appropriately?

• 6:13Speaker 02

  Yeah, it comes down to two things, the quality of those calories and the amount of those calories. You know, you'd be astonished with how a lot of triathletes and, you know, long distance runners eat. You know, pizza, you'll have like candy, you know, when you stop at some of these aid stations, there is nothing healthy there. So these people are obviously inflamed as it is when they're, you know, running or doing an endurance event, they've got higher cortisol levels. And now you're going to add more cortisol and more inflammation with these inflammatory foods or seed oils, whatever it may be, that's not going to be good. So I think it's very important that, of course, you are feeding the mitochondria, but you're feeding your muscles with the quality that it requires to prevent catabolism.

• 6:57Speaker 02

  So that's why I said, you know, taking like a whey protein isolate when you're out there, taking your essential amino acids and whenever possible, you're eating healthy, real foods. That's higher and dense in calories, but clean calories.

• 7:10Jen Cohen?

  Right. So, so, cause you, cause you also, when you were bodybuilding, you were doing it naturally, right? You weren't taking anything at all, right? And, and so how, how like which, I should, how would I word this? How is it, what is the, in your opinion, the, the, the best way to be lean, muscular, naturally? Like, what are the steps that people can take, especially as they age, right? Besides eating enough, I mean, besides protein intake? Give me the step, step by step protocol to be lean, fit and, you know, strong.

• 7:53Speaker 02

  Right. Good question. So when a lot of clients come to me, they're usually shocked with the advice that I give them to begin with, because they're like, tell me what the supplements are, what I've got to eat, how heavy I got to lift, how often do I need a lift, et cetera. A lot of the time I put that at the end, I will focus on their sleep first. Because we know, you know, sleep is kind of byproduct of people's lives these days. And I think that's the most essential kind of biohack out there, you know? You could get into your age part, you can get under the red lights, but it's the sleep is weird. The ultimate hack is because obviously you recover, your recovery dictates your performance. If you're not going to recover, you're not going to perform. You may think that you are, but physically you just can't, you know, some of us are very mentally strong, dopamine filled, dopamine driven.

• 8:37Speaker 02

  We're like, go, go, go. I'm still strong. I'm still good, but you're not. If you actually took a week off and then maybe come back, you could potentially be stronger. But you've got to get that rest and recovery in. The other thing that kind of coincides with that is doing whatever you can to stay in a parasympathetic state. So meditation, groundwork, you know, maybe tone that vagal nerve with cold thermogenesis or contrast thermogenesis. Things like that, that will really put you into that, that parasympathetic state will drastically lower your cortisol levels to make you a little bit more metabolically active, so you can consume more food without adding on body fat as well. And doing whatever you can to stabilize your blood sugar levels.

• 9:20Speaker 02

  Because if you are absorbing a lot more food, you want to ensure that you don't get massive spikes that could spill over into fat stores. Or then a crash that leads to fatigue and now you're not energetic to train at all. So um, we know that ice baths in the morning help stabilize blood sugar levels. There are obviously supplements out there like dihydroberbin or G D A, things like that, that help stabilize the blood sugar levels. Making sure that you're eating your protein, your fiber first and leaving your carbohydrates last. You know, obviously you have your fats in there as well, carbohydrates last, you don't have that much of a spike. And once you've had that larger meal, just go for like a 10, 15 minute walk as well, you know, just so you're assimilating.

• 10:01Speaker 02

  I believe that cardio actually helps with the recovery in order for you to put on muscle. If you are transporting the nutrients to the localized area that you've just trained through movement, then of course that area is going to recover so much quicker. So you're going to be able to hit it so much harder the following day.

• 10:20Jen Cohen?

  Oh my God, you said so much. There are like a million questions. So, so you're saying one of the best ways to lower your insulin is taking a cold bath or a cold plunge first thing in the morning?

• 10:33Speaker 02

  Yeah, to stabilize your blood sugar levels throughout the day. So if somebody was to wear 24 hour blood glucose monitor, measure your blood sugar throughout the day, then eat the exact same thing the following week, but start your day with a three minute ice bath, you know, and check your blood sugar level again throughout the day. I guarantee it'll be lower. But of course, everything else has to be aligned. You have to make sure that you are getting your sleep, the same as you did the previous week as well, because lack of sleep can lead to insulin resistance too.

• 11:01Jen Cohen?

  What do you think is the most overrated biohacking modality out there right now?

• 11:07Speaker 02

  Good question. The most overrated? Hmm. Let me see. I'm just, I'm looking around my office because I'm looking at my pulse etcher, I'm looking at my brain tap. Um, I'd say a reliance on too much technology. You know, here I am in Boise, I don't need to rely on technology too much. But, you know, of course, if you're in a city or in a built up area, you know, maybe it's winter and you're not going to get sun, then you're going to rely on those biohacks a little bit more, such as the red light, because you're not going to get the red frequencies from the sun during the winter as much in some parts of the world. You know, you're not going to go outside and ground yourself because it's too cold outside or there's snow on the ground. So then you rely on like

• 11:51Speaker 02

  some BAHI trainers or a grounding mat or a grounding sheet. But I think people just take it a little bit too far. They will have sun outside, but they'll still use the red light instead. They'll, they'll be able to go out and earth themselves, but instead they'll rely on an earth in mat. And I think it's just a little bit too much over reliance. Like when you go to a biohacking event, you know, there seems to be a lot of disposable income there as opposed to a more of an athletic event. And people just want to buy their health and it can't be purchased. You know, you can be a student of learning and learn about all these amazing biohacks and technology and they do have a use. But you have to be a student of application as well. And that application usually comes from what our ancestors did, those ancestral tenants. But if you can mix them with a balance of today's technology,

• 12:35Speaker 02

  that's great. But you can't do one without the other.

• 12:37Jen Cohen?

  No, and I agree with you. I think everything has become like more is not more. You know what I mean? Like less is still more. And I think you're right. When I go to these, when I go to these biohacking conferences, it's like you're not seeing the athletic, athletic, the athletic crowd, right? You're seeing people who have a lot of extra disposable income and they're looking for sometimes the magic bullet or the easy way out to, you know, to even reverse your biological age. Right? What would you say is the most underrated biohacking modality?

• 13:12Speaker 02

  Let's say meditation, meditation. If you want to call that a biohack, would you consider that a biohack?

• 13:17Jen Cohen?

  Not really.

• 13:19Speaker 02

  No.

• 13:19Jen Cohen?

  Give me another. No.

• 13:20Speaker 02

  Okay. Another one that is underrated, you said underrated. Hmm. That's a good question. I don't know. Stem cells still seem to be a little bit fringe. I've been doing stem cells every couple of years since 2017. And I try to get so many people to utilize it. You know, I tried to get my father to do it. He should have had a hip replacement like 15 years ago. You can have a much better quality of life when you have obviously the right stem cells. Because not only is it helping, let's say if you've got connective issue joints, now your quality of life goes down. And when people's quality of life goes down, then their health span, their lifespan usually shortens as well. But if you can have a better quality of life by fixing some issues or ailments that could be causing you pain,

• 14:05Speaker 02

  then do it. Yes, it's an investment, but you know, you can't put a price on your health. But not only that, if you're not only doing the stem cells to acute areas such as your shoulders, elbows, et cetera. By having an IV as well can help with the restoration of, you know, organs like your liver, kidney, pineal gland, things like that, that maybe that, you know, in your previous years, you know, as a youngster, maybe you abused alcohol or whatever, and you've caused inflammation and damaged that liver. Then stem cells can actually help with the recuperation. Because I guaranteed if you were lacking in sleep, if you were doing drugs, if you were drinking alcohol, if you lived a very stressful life, you have withdrawn a lot of your own stem cells. So your ability

• 14:47Speaker 02

  To recuperate, recover, regenerate is happened and you know, stem cells, I believe is still a bit fringe in the athletic community and the biohacking community. Yeah, it's there. A lot of people take part of that, but a lot of the mainstream people do not. And I think more and more people should. Unfortunately, we don't have the same. We have bigger restrictions here in the US compared to going to Mexico or Panama or Costa Rica, Colombia. Uh, but unfortunately, you know, we go there, but we're going to get the harvest of stem cells that have been expanded and it's going to be a lot cheaper. So, you know, take a trip and have a, make a holiday out of it.

• 15:23Jen Cohen?

  I was gonna say, where are you going to get your stem cells? And what kind are you using?

• 15:29Speaker 02

  Um, yeah.

• 15:30Jen Cohen?

  And the other part of the question is, why are you getting them every two years? Do they only last you two years and then you have to redo it again? That seems like an expensive modality just to do, you know, if you have to, if you have to keep on doing it over and over again so quickly.

• 15:45Speaker 02

  Yeah, I'd say you don't have to do it every couple of years, but I'm still doing silly extreme sports and I'm 50 years old now and I do not bounce back as I used to. You know, and I've had so many injuries from many, many years of, like I said, from the age of six, participating in extreme sports that come and rear their ugly head a little bit later. So I, I had surgery on my shoulder in 2017, had stem cells put in there. I tore my tricep off the bone in 2020. Had stem cells put in there. I just knocked a big chunk of cartilage out of my shoulder. I've actually got a call with a surgeon tomorrow that does 3D printing of cartilage in New York, but stem cells are not going to hurt.

• 16:29Speaker 02

  I've had a torn meniscus in my knee for like two years. I want to avoid surgery, so I get topped up with stem cells there. It's the mesenchymal stem cells that I get. I've had them in Colombia, but the best place that I believe, I have no association with this company, is CPI in Tijuana. They're ba- basically the official sponsor of the UFC. Ed Clay from Nashville and Scotty from Vegas, they own the place, but their clinic is.

• 16:57Speaker 02

  Is in Tijuana again because of the restrictions that we have here in the US.

• 17:01Jen Cohen?

  Wow. Yeah, I know. I know a doctor. His name is Dr. Adil Khan. He does it out of Cabo.

• 17:07Speaker 02

  Yes.

• 17:07Jen Cohen?

  Does he? Is it? Do you know him?

• 17:09Speaker 02

  I know him. Yeah, he's also got a clinic in Dubai as well, I believe.

• 17:12Jen Cohen?

  Exactly, exactly. Are, does he use the same stem cells as the ones that you were just talking about?

• 17:19Speaker 02

  I believe so, but I think he also does a lot of focus on your own stem cells as well. I don't know if he does the fat deposit stem cells, but I think he does the bone marrow.

• 17:29Jen Cohen?

  He called them muse cells.

• 17:31Speaker 02

  Muse cells. Okay. No, that is, that's different. That's different to the mesochymal then.

• 17:36Jen Cohen?

  It is different. Okay.

• 17:37Speaker 02

  Yeah.

• 17:37Jen Cohen?

  So you're saying that would be the one that's the most underrated, right?

• 17:41Speaker 02

  I believe, I believe so because every client that I've told to go there and a lot of time, you know, my client has taken their father who's, you know, in their late eighties, early nineties that have, you know, debilitating diseases. They've all come back and said six months later, because it takes about six months for the efficacy to kick in. You know, that they feel so much better. You know, you always second guess it about three months later, like, did I waste my money? Did I waste my time? Things aren't feeling better. It just takes time to kick in. But you have to be very, very conscious of the post-work, the post-stem cell phase. So for three months, you cannot train. Because if you cause inflammation or a breakdown of muscle, that's where the stem cells are going to go. You need them to stay in a localized area that you've had them.

• 18:25Speaker 02

  You can't do ice baths. You can't do sauna. Of course, you can't drink alcohol or anything. It could be pro-inflammatory. So I do ice baths every single day, mostly twice a day. I've got a morozko forge out back. I got a clear light sauna. I can't use them for the next three months.

• 18:41Jen Cohen?

  Oh, wow. So for three months, you're like incapacitated to do anything in that space. Oh, wow.

• 18:46Speaker 02

  You can, you can do endurance, like cardio, non-impact. So I've been spending a lot of time on the bike over the past week. Cause it was only, uh, last week I had the stem cells and I've been doing a lot of yoga. I'll do more aerial yoga. So at this time, I will just focus on something else. Otherwise I'll, I'll go a little bit insane.